Improved flour-sifter



N- PETERS. FHOTO-THOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. J. JOHNSON, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED FLOUR-SIFTEP.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47.732, dated May 16,1865.

vTo a/ZZ whomz't may concern:

full, clear, andeXa-ct description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming` a part of this specification, in which-4 Figure l is a plan.Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the line a: of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is adetached elevation of the rotary scraper with its shaft and crank.

Like parts are indicated by the sameletters in all the drawings.

The nature. of my invention consists in coinbining with a commonhoop-sieve, A B, a rotating scraper, D, which is moved close to, or incontact with, the screen B, and in a plane parallel with it by means ofa shaft, E, guidebar O", and crank and handle F G, for the purpose ofagitating and forcing the flour through the screen instead of rubbing itby hand.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, Iwill now proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same.

A is the side, and Bis the bottom, of a common hoopesieve constructed inthe usual man ner and of any required size.

C is a bar passed across the center of the hoop A, from side to side,with its upper sur face flush with the top of the same, as representedin Figs. 1 and 2, being securely held in place by means of screws ornails driven into it from the outer side of the hoop, or in any otherobvious manner.

. Il is a boss fast to the under side of the bar C, in order to give alonger bearing for the axle E.

D is a scraper, of wood or other suitable material, the form of which isclearly shown in the drawings. The opposite under sides of this scraperare beveled, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, and for the purpose describedabove. Through the center of the scraper is a round hole provided withan internal screw to receive an external screw cut on the bottom of thevertical shaft E, as shown in Fig. 2. This shaft E extends from thebottom B of the sieve to a little above the top of the bar C, throughthe center of which it passes and turns with freedom.

F is a crank fast to the top of the shaft E, as shown in Fig. 3, Grbeing the handle by means of which the operator is enabled to rotate thescraper, raise or lower the same, and give any required amount ofpressure toit, for the purpose of agitating the material in the sieveandforcing it through the screen.

The bar G being provided with a central hole for the reception of theshaft E, and permanently attached to the hoop A, as described above, andthe scraper D being laid upon the screen B, the shaft E is screwed intoit, as shown in Fig. 2; or, by turning the shaft E in the oppositedirection, it can be readily detached and thereby iendered moreportable.

My improvement is very simple, cheap, and efficient, and can be readilyapplied to any common hoopsieve, old or new, in general use.

The operation of my invention is obvious from what has already beensta-ted above.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Combining with a common hoop-sieve a ro tating scraper, D, actuated andguided by the shaft E, crank F, and bar O, or their equivalents,substantially as and for purpose described.

- W. J. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

N. AMES, GEO. R. CLARKE.

